


Unexpected Dreams

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2014-05-05
Packaged: 2018-01-22 00:31:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1569392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Be careful what you read at work is something Garcia should have taken to heart. When Emily catches her doing something she shouldn't on company time, how will she react when they're on the field and Emily comes calling?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unexpected Dreams

I dreamt of you last night, she ached to tell him. But he was standing next to his wife, his arm around her waist, hand resting lightly on her hip. He turned his head and caught her staring at them. She blushed and tried to look away, but his eyes held hers. He looked down, and she followed his gaze, watching him tuck his hand in the back pocket of his wife's jeans. Then he slid his eyes back up to meet hers and he winked, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

Peggy finally broke eye contact with him and shivered slight, desire flaring up in her body. Throwing caution to the wind, she sauntered over to the group Henry and Willow were a part of. "The sopranos are going to have to watch that high B," Henry said, and the group nodded. "What do you think, Peggy?"

"I think that I can hit it, and that we have too many followers who sing soprano because they can't find a harmony part to save their life," she replied, arching her eyebrow at him.

Willow laughed and patted Peggy on the shoulder. "You hit the nail on the head. But my husband can't say no to anyone. It's one of his downfalls." The look she gave Peggy caused her to melt a little, knowing that she had meant more than just choir members. Swallowing heavily, Peggy nodded.

"I'm the same way. Never did learn how to say no."

Willow's smile grew and Peggy noticed her nudge Henry with her elbow. "Didn't you want to show Peggy that new manuscript you bought last week?"

He looked from his wife to Peggy, then back to his wife. 'That's right, I did. It's definitely Elizabethan, right up your alley."

"Sounds interesting. I'll follow you home." She pinched herself surreptitiously, wanting to make certain she wasn't dreaming once more. They walked out to the parking lot and got in their cars. Peggy's hands trembled as she steered, her heart thumping in her chest. She parked behind them and followed them inside.

As soon as the door was closed behind her, she was roughly pushed back against it, Willow's lips capturing her. She leaned into the kiss, burying her fingers in Willow's red hair. She felt herself being turned and then Henry's hands were unzipping her dress. Peggy rolled her head back to rest on his chest while Willow kissed down her neck, sucking on her pulse point as she pulled the dress off of her. Henry bent and kissed her, his hands cupping her breasts, thumbing her nipples through the lace of her bra.

Willow kept kissing down her chest, licking the curve of skin not covered by Peggy's bra, and she moaned into Henry's mouth. He let go of her breasts and she almost fell. Quickly, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. She felt…

"Garcia! Where's your mind?"

Startled, she blinked, looking up from the story she'd been reading, then turned to look at Emily, her arms folded across her chest. "Can I help you?"

"We're briefing a new case. Hotch sent me to get you."

"This late in the afternoon?" she asked as she grabbed her notebook and a pen, following Emily out of her office.

"There's been another kidnapping in Atlanta; they're finally asking for our help."

"Oh." At Hotch's request, she'd been following the rash of disappearances from assisted living facilities in the Atlanta area. The count was up to thirty gone, but since most of the families either lived out of state, or didn't care what happened to their loved one, nothing had been repost to officials as it should have been. And when they had shown up dead a few days after they had gone missing, it was assumed they had gotten out and become disoriented, dying from exposure.

The last disappearance had been different. The mother of a local news anchor had gone missing and she had gone to the police right away. They had tried to brush her off, seeing as how the home had not reported her missing, but she would have none of it, threatening to take her story to the public.

And now, the police were asking for their help.

She sat through the meeting taking notes, not keeping 100% concentration on what everyone was saying until she heard her name. "Garcia, I want you with us."

"I'm sorry, Sir?"

"You're coming to Georgia with us. We'll need you to go through the surveillance videos from us, see if there's anything they missed."

"Of course."

"All right, wheels up in thirty. We'll meet with the police and then head to our hotel."

They all nodded and moved out, and Penelope hurried up to her office, shutting down the story she had been reading and grabbing her bag. She slipped her laptop inside the bag and then went out into the bullpen. "Hey Mama, you ready to head out?" She nodded and followed Morgan and Emily out to his car. The short drive to the air strip was quiet, no one really up to talking.

The flight down was short and they hit the ground running. Hotch introduced the team to the lead detective on the case and they set up in the room he provided. Once all the preliminary work was out of the way they went to the hotel. Penelope's room was last in the corridor, with Morgan next to her. She set her bag on the dresser and pulled out her nightclothes. She had just pulled her shirt on when a knock came on her door. Penelope looked out the peephole and saw Emily standing there. She opened the door and let the woman in. "What can I do for you, Emily?"

"I was wondering if you have problems saying no as well."

Penelope blushed, recalling the story she'd been reading earlier. "I-I don't understand," she stammered.

"Don't play coy with me, Penny. I saw what you were reading before we left." Emily closed the distance between them and locked eyes with her. "Now, I'll ask again. Do you have trouble saying no?"

Penelope swallowed hard and nodded slowly, uncertain of what would happen next. Emily closed the small gap between them and kissed her hungrily, pulling off her glasses as she did so. Penelope squeaked a little, under her breath, and then returned the kiss, marveling in how soft Emily's lips were against hers. As the kiss deepened, Emily maneuvered them towards the bed, pushing Penelope down.

Penelope sat heavily, pulling Emily down on top of her. Hesitantly, Penelope fumbled with the buttons on the other woman's shirt, finding it hard to undo them. While she was focused on that, Emily slipped her hands under her shirt, cupping her heavy breasts. Penelope moaned as Emily thumbed her nipples, the sensitive tips hardening beneath the gentle touch. She slid her hands down Emily's arms, holding her hands tight against her breasts, bending up to reclaim Emily's lips.

Emily slid her hands back down Penelope's waist and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up over her head. Then she shrugged out of her shirt, fumbling with the clasp of her bra. Penelope sighed at the sight of her, feeling self-conscious for the first time. She began to turn away from Emily, but found herself pinned to the mattress instead. "You're beautiful, like a Reuben's model," she whispered, bending to kiss her once more.

There was a sweetness to the kiss that had been absent before, and Penelope found herself even more aroused. Reaching up, she buried her fingers in Emily's hair, returning the kiss with fervor. She breathed in deeply as Emily broke the kiss and began to trail soft kisses down her jaw. When she reached the junction of shoulder and neck, she bit down and Penelope gasped, arching her neck to give Emily better access.

After a few moments, Emily kissed her way down her chest. Through heavy-lidded eyes she watched Emily's tongue snake out to lick the underside of her breasts. Penelope whimpered in pleasure as Emily drew one erect nipple into her mouth, her tongue flicking the sensitive nub over and over. She could feel her orgasm build up, becoming tighter and tighter the more Emily focused on her breasts.

"Emily," she breathed out as the other woman skimmed her pants down her legs, her mouth never leaving her breasts. The slow, sensuous stroking of Emily's thumb against her clit sent her over the edge, and she orgasmed hard, wailing Emily's name. Emily didn't let up, however, instead trailing her lips down Penelope's stomach swirling her tongue around her bellybutton before pulling Penelope's legs over her shoulders, burying her face in her core. Quickly, Penelope ramped up to another orgasm, digging her heels into Emily's back as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.

Breathing heavily, they both laid back on her bed, fingers entwined. After a while, Emily turned on her side and drew on Penelope's bare skin with her fingers. Penelope squirmed slightly under the attention, biting her lip to keep from moaning. "Thank you."

"For what?" Penelope asked, turning to look at her.

"For this, for not rejecting me."

"You didn't really give me much choice." She saw a wounded look flash over Emily's face and reached out to stroke her cheek. "I didn't protest, though, did I?"

Emily shook her head and Penelope smiled sweetly, snuggling close to the other woman. Emily rested her forehead against Penelope's, wrapping an arm around her. "May I stay the night?"

"Of course. I don't think I could let you go."

"Good. I was hoping to hear that."

Penelope soon fell into a contented sleep, safe in her lover's arms.


	2. Straight No Chaser

They hadn't really spoken since getting back from Georgia. Penelope couldn't keep herself from blushing every time she was near Emily and so she'd taken to ducking into various rooms when she caught the eye of the other woman. But she knew that could only work for so long. She'd have to face Emily some time.

That time came sooner than she had planned. The team had just returned from a case and they were all going out to the bar. JJ knocked on her office door and brought her along despite her protestations of being too busy. "Your teams are all home, Penelope. There's nothing lit up on your board right now."

Penelope made a face and got up, following her out into the bullpen. Morgan was standing there, waiting for them. "Didn't take her long to convince you to come." Penelope shrugged and yawned. "Don't even try that on me, Mama. I know you're a night owl." She glared at him and he just laughed, taking hold of her hand. "Ah come on, you'll have fun."

"Whatever you say, Morgan." She linked her arm through his and let him lead her out. By the time they were all at the bar, she was on edge, knowing that Emily would be there. She flipped down the sunshade in Morgan's card and saw that she had lost most of the color in her face, making her blood red lips stand out all the more. She got out and straightened her shoulders, following JJ and Morgan inside.

They found the rest of the team sitting at a high top table. JJ sat next to Spencer, while Morgan sat between Rossi and Hotch. That left the only open seat next to Emily. Penelope sat down, clutching her purse tightly in one hand and sitting as far away from Emily as she could without falling off the chair. The waitress came and took their order, and Penelope ordered a glass of red wine. She tried not to blush when Emily ordered the same and asked the waitress to bring the bottle to the table.

As the waitress went around to the others, Penelope felt a soft hand touch hers. She looked over at Emily, who grinned wolfishly at her. She turned her head quickly and tried to break into Spencer and JJ's conversation, but it was hopeless. They were in their own little world. Reluctantly, she turned back to Emily. "So, how have you been?" she asked, looking at a spot over Emily's shoulder.

"Good. And you?"

"Okay. I'm losing my game, so that's frustrating me."

"Can't you just hack it?"

"Then it wouldn't be fun." They fell into an easy rhythm, hardly noticing the waitress set their glasses of wine in front of them. Penelope sipped at her glass, not intending to drink more than one despite the bottle on the table. As the night wore on, though, Emily became bolder, brushing her shoulder frequently, refilling her glass, and flirting openly. Morgan caught on to the behavior and began to tease Penelope a little. She just blushed all the more before finally getting up to use the restroom.

She turned to lock the door and ran into Emily, who pushed her back with one finger while locking the door with her other hand. "You've been avoiding me," she said lowly, running her finger up Penelope's chest to rest under her chin, forcing Penelope to look at her.

"I have," Penelope whispered, unable to tear her gaze away.

"I don't like to be avoided," Emily said as she backed Penelope up against one of the walls. Emily put her hands on either side of her head and leaned forward. "What are we going to do about that?"

Penelope swallowed hard and closed her eyes, turning her lips up. Emily took the opening and brought her lips down against hers. She sighed and melted into the kiss, her knees trembling slightly. As Emily deepened the kiss, Penelope felt her hand cup one of her breasts, thumbing the nipple absently. A sharp knocking on the door broke their embrace and they stepped back from each other. "Just a moment!" Penelope called and she strained to listen for the sound of footsteps. She felt like a schoolgirl getting caught doing something illicit. But she didn't want to leave things hanging like this. "My place?"

"Yes." Emily unlocked the door and stepped out. Penelope waited a few moments and then stepped out herself. She smoothed her dress and went back to the table, taking a seat once more next to Emily. She finished her glass of wine and then pulled some money out of her purse, handing it to Spencer.

"That should cover my portion, Reid. See you in the morning, my doves." She walked out and waited near the door. Seven minutes later, Emily came out. "What took you so long?"

"I didn't want to make it seem too obvious I was going home with you. Besides, I think Morgan already knows something."

"I got that feeling, too. He was just the next room over from mine in Georgia," Penelope said as she linked arms with Emily. They walked out to the edge of the sidewalk and Penelope hailed a taxi. After giving the driver her address, she sat back in the seat. As Emily's hand crept under her skirt, she tried not to squirm and let the driver know something was up. The ride to her apartment seemed to take forever as Emily tried to get a rise out of her and she struggled not to give in.

The driver finally stopped in front of her building and she shoved some money at him. "Keep the change," she called as she fished her keys out of her purse, Emily close at her heels. As she fumbled with the key in the lock, Emily wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling Penelope flush against her. "Emmy, I need to get inside before I can concentrate on this," she moaned, pushing away the woman's hands and finally opening her door to let them get inside.

Penelope was hardly surprised when Emily pulled her into an embrace, kissing her passionately as she unzipped her dress, pulling it off her shoulders to pool on the floor at their feet. At the same time, Penelope made short work of the buttons on her shirt, tugging it from her pants before shoving it off Emily's shoulders. The belt proved trickier to undo, her fingers getting jumbled as she tried to unfasten it. Finally, she got it open and unzipped the pants. Emily shimmied out of them, letting them join the pile on the floor.

Penelope broke the kiss and began to fumble with her bra clasp, unconsciously pushing her chest out as she did so. She gasped as she felt Emily squeeze her breasts, dragging the lace against her sensitive nipples. Finally, she got the damn thing undone and Emily pulled it off her, flinging it away. Emily made quick work of her own bra and backed Penelope up against the door, kissing her again. Penelope was going into sensory overload, unable to focus on one area of her body, feeling Emily everywhere.

And then, Emily made it very easy for her. Bending slightly, she rained kisses along the top of her breasts. Penelope buried a hand in Emily's dark hair, holding her close to her chest. Emily responded by drawing patterns on her nipples, causing Penelope to whimper with pleasure. She could fell her knees begin to buckle and tugged gently on Emily's hair, bringing her up. Carefully, Penelope guided them through her apartment and over to her bed, pushing Emily gently down.

Emboldened, she took the lead, kissing Emily hungrily while she brought her hands up to cup Emily's breasts, thumbing her nipples lightly. She enjoyed feeling the other woman squirm slightly against her, and she began to kiss her way down Emily, stopping to suck and nip at the pulse point on her neck. Emily tipped her head to give her better access, moaning as she bit down a little more sharply. Penelope continued her downward path, pausing just before she reached Emily's breasts. As she tried to raise her head, Emily brought it back down, holding her close to her breasts. Penelope giggled and then kissed down the center of her chest, ignoring her breasts. Emily pointedly pulled on her hair, trying to direct her back up.

Penelope ignored her and carried on downwards. Once she reached Emily's panty line, she hooked her thumbs inside the hem and peeled them off her. As she threw them to the floor, she took a deep breath and began to tease Emily with her tongue. Emily started to moan, twisting her hips around as she buried both hands in Penelope's hair. She could feel the orgasm build as Emily kneaded her scalp harder and faster, her muscles tensing up. "Oh, god, Penelope!" she screamed as the orgasm swept over her.

Penelope stretched out on the bed next to Emily, who promptly snuggled up close to her. Penelope closed her eyes and ran her fingers through Emily's hair, smiling as she felt the other woman begin to place butterfly kisses on her face, starting with her eyelids. She kept her eyes closed as Emily kissed up one arm, across her chest, and down the other. She began to grow restless when Emily lightly kissed each nipple in turn before continuing down her body.

As Emily's mouth moved lower, she hooked her fingers in the waistband of Penelope's panties, slowly pulling them down as she kissed the skin she revealed. She kept going down her left leg and then up her right, stopping, hovering, over her mons. Penelope could feel her warm breath so close to her and she raised her hips, trying to get the contact she craved. They locked eyes, and Emily grinned wickedly at her. "Emmy, please," she breathed out between mewlings of pleasure.

Her quick orgasm took them both by surprise, and Emily drove her to another one as fast as she could. Penelope felt a warm sense of lethargy envelope her, and all she could do was smile when she felt Emily kiss her gently. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt Emily's arms wrap around her, pulling her close. "I don't want to have to chase you again," Emily whispered in her ear, and Penelope's smile just grew all the wider.

_That's what you think_ , was Penelope's last thought before sleep overcame her.


	3. Better Than Heaven

"Hey, Baby Girl, are you sure there's no room in your luggage for me?"

"There's no way I'm paying the overage on that piece of luggage, my dear. Besides, you're going to visit your mother – I wouldn't give that up for anything in the world."

"But one week in Paris! Penelope, that's going to be heaven."

She smiled at him. "I know, sugar. And I'll be there all by myself. No one to worry about; I can go wherever I like, do whatever I like. It'll be better than heaven." Morgan looked at her mysteriously and she pursed her lips. "Do you know something I don't, Derek?"

"Oh, no, Mama. Have a nice, relaxing trip." He squeezed her shoulder lightly and picked up his bag, turning to leave the bullpen.

She watched him leave, still feeling as if she was being left out of something. She picked up her purse and left the building. It took her a few extra seconds to locate the rental car – she hadn't wanted to leave Esther in the airport parking lot for a week. There was no telling what would happen to her in that amount of time.

She made it to the airport in time and was pleasantly surprised to get through security faster than usual. While she waited from her flight, she caught up on her blog, and then played a few games. Finally, her flight began boarding and she slipped her laptop back into her carryon, then stood and got in line. Penelope found her seat in first class and sat, stowing her bag in front of her. Once in the air, she curled up in the seat and watched the clouds roll by, the colors changing from white to pink to red to blue as she got closer to her destination. She felt her eyelids grow heavy and fought to stay awake.

The plane landed and Penelope pulled out her bag as they taxied to the gate. As soon as she was through customs, she got her suitcase and then hailed a cab. "Chateau Marmont, please," she told the driver, settling back in the seat. She watched the lights pass by as the driver silently moved through the night. She smiled, a sense of peace descending upon her.

She had almost fallen asleep by the time the driver stopped in front of her hotel. A doorman took her bag and she followed him inside, going up to the front desk. "May I help you?" the clerk asked.

"Yes, I'm checking in. My name is Penelope Garcia," she replied as she dug her credit card out of her purse, handing it over to the bored looking woman. She watched her enter her information in the computer, then print out a sheet of paper before making up a key for her.

"Sign here, please. You're in room 1816; Pierre will bring your bag up in just a few minutes. Enjoy your stay here at Chateau Marmont." Penelope nodded and made her way over to the elevator. She shifted her feet as she waited, her shoes beginning to make them ache. Finally, the elevator reached the ground floor and she got in, pressing the eighteen button and the resting against the back of the car. It was an older elevator that took a long time, so the ride up to her floor seemed to take an eternity. As soon as the doors slid open, she stumbled off, then stared at the sign in front of her before turning to the right.

Pierre, it seemed, could climb the stairs faster than the elevator moved, and was waiting for her outside her room. She let them in and then handed him a few Euros. Once he had gone, she kicked off her heels, locked the door, and opened her bag, grabbing out a t-shirt. She changed quickly and then crawled into bed, setting the alarm for three hours later. Hopefully that would be enough time to switch her body clock over, she thought before she fell asleep.

The alarm buzzed in her ear, and she reached out and slapped it until it stopped beeping. She threw back the covers and got out of bed, throwing off her t-shirt as she walked over to her suitcase. She put on a fresh dress and stepped back into her shoes. Grabbing her purse, she out her key inside and then let herself out of the room. She decided to take the stairs down and soon was stepping outside. The fresh spring air smelled heavenly as she hailed a cab. "Cathedral de Notre Dame, please," she said as she got in.

Penelope spent the entire afternoon wandering around the Cathedral, taking in the beauty of the place. Taking a seat in one of the pews, she drank in the ambiance of the sacred place, letting the reverence of the ages seep into her bones. A peaceful smile spread over her face and she left feeling refreshed. Penelope found a small café nearby and ate a light supper before taking a cab back to her hotel.

The first thing she noticed as she entered her room was the scent of flowers. She looked around and found a large bouquet sitting on the table in front of her balcony. She went over and looked for a card, and found it nestled between two white roses. Opening it up, she saw just one word – "Really?" Perplexed, she looked at the back of the card, but there was nothing there to indicate who it was from. Still and all, it was a beautiful arrangement, and she plucked out one of the lilies, sticking it in her hair.

The second thing she noticed was that her bag was missing. Frantically, she searched her room for it, finally finding it in the closet, along with all her dresses. They had been neatly hung on the hangers, and her extra shoes were lined up along the closet floor. Penelope then opened the bureau drawers and found her undergarments put away with just as much care. Beginning to feel seriously weirded out, she backed away from the open drawer and pulled out her cell phone.

"Morgan, what the hell do you know that I don't?" she demanded as soon as she heard him pick up.

"Hey, hey, Baby Girl, you're supposed to be relaxing in Paris, not berating me. Besides, nothing is going on."

"Swear on your mother's life?"

"I swear on my mother's life that nothing bad is going on. Stop worrying and enjoy your vacation. I'll see you in a week."

"I'll try. See you later." She hung up and slipped the phone back in her purse. As she took a seat on the bed to plan out her evening, she caught, from the corner of her eye, the bathroom door opening. Penelope swallowed a scream and got up quickly from the bed, shoving her back into the nearest corner. She grabbed for the lamp, only to discover it was attached to the bedside table. She sank down to the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. She could feel the panic building inside her and she struggled not to cry.

"Penelope?"

"Emily? Oh, my god, what the fuck are you doing in my room?" She quickly stood up and went over to the other woman. "You scared the crap out of me!"

"I just wanted to surprise you," Emily quietly replied, reaching out to touch Penelope's shoulder.

Penelope pulled away from the light touch. "I don't like surprises anymore," she said, touching her stomach. Emily looked at where she was touching and her eyes widened, quick tears filling them.

"Oh, god, Penelope, I didn't even think of that. I'm so sorry." Emily brushed a tear away and turned from her. "I guess I just got so caught up in the chase…" She moved over to the flowers, fingering the petals of a daisy.

Penelope felt her heart melt, and she went over to Emily, wrapping her arms around her middle and resting her head on her shoulder. "You chased me half way around the world. How did you know where I was staying?"

"Morgan told me. You were right, by the way, he does know about us."

"We're an us?"

"Really? What else would you call this?"

Penelope thought for a moment. "I don't know, I guess I haven't thought about it that way. Do you want to be an exclusive us?"

"I think I do." Emily turned around, placing her hands on Penelope's hips. "How about you?"

Suddenly, Penelope found herself lost for words. Her relationship with Kevin had gone down in a flaming ball of such, and she hadn't had a serious partner since. And was she a lesbian? She had enjoyed sex with Kevin way too much to be strictly Sapphic. Yet she reveled in sex with Emily. She felt her brow furrow, and watched Emily smile.

"The heart can't help who it chooses," Emily whispered, leaning forward to kiss Penelope's lips.

"No, it can't," she replied as she broke the kiss. "And my answer is yes." As she let Emily lead her over to the bed, she knew that this French vacation would be better than heaven. It would be finding her heart's home.


	4. Love Game

"So, how was Paris, Garcia?"

Penelope looked at Morgan and smiled blissfully. "Full of wonderful surprises. Did you enjoy the time with your mother?"

"My sisters spent the entire time trying to set me up with their friends. They were kind of disappointed when I told them you were off the market once more."

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "How long have you known?"

"That she liked you? Since before we went to Georgia. I encouraged her to go after you, but I never expected things to move that quickly. Are you happy?"

"Derek, you have no idea how deliriously happy I am. I don't think even the worst unsub could bring me down right now." She picked up her mug and took a sip. "So, do you have a lot of paperwork to catch up on? I know that's how Emily planned to spend today, since there's not a new case for you." He nodded. "Ah, well, have fun with that. I'll need to get back to my office and see if my search for the other team is ready yet."

She got up and made her way to her office. As she shut the door, she noticed Emily curled up on her couch, poring over a report, a mug of coffee in her hand. Emily looked up at her and smiled. "Are they looking for me out there?"

"No, you're still safe. Why did you come up here, anyway?"

"Morgan's been more annoying than usual today. He thinks that since he set me up he can get all the details of our relationship." Penelope laughed throatily, smiling at Emily. "What is going through that head of yours?"

"We give him something to talk about, Emmy."

"I'm not an exhibitionist, Penelope."

"Tell that to the Japanese tour group we possibly scarred for life in the Louvre."

"That was a one-time occurrence, and besides, they were talking pictures. I doubt we scarred them that much."

Penelope sat down next to her. "Come on, it will be fun to try and get a rise out of him." She watched Emily take a drink to try and cover the smile that was creeping over her face. "I hate to use peer pressure, Em, but you know you want to. Join me on the dark side, my love."

Emily leaned over and quickly bussed Penelope's cheek. "All right, we'll do it. Drinks tonight after work, just the three of us. I suppose it will be fun to be a bit wicked for once."

Penelope stood and went over to her computer, typing away on the search engine. About an hour later, she heard Emily leave and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that she had left her stack of files on the floor. Smiling, Penelope turned back to her work, hoping to find a match in CODIS.

Around one, Emily brought lunch in for them. Reid followed her into Penelope's office and joined Emily on the couch. "So, how was Paris, Penelope?" he asked before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"It was probably the most wonderful time of my life. The Louvre was amazing."

"Did you take a lot of pictures?" Penelope coughed a bit and then she swallowed, a slight blush staining her cheeks. "Because I'd love to see them sometime."

"Yes, Penelope, why don't you show us your pictures? I know you mentioned bringing them to work today," Emily said sweetly, smiling at her wickedly. Penelope glared at her as she rummaged through her purse to pull out the photo album. There was no time to pull out some of the more embarrassing photos, and Emily knew that full well.

"We'll have to show these to Morgan tonight as well, Emily, since he hasn't seen them yet," she said as she handed the book over to Reid. Emily glared at her this time, draping her arm around Reid's shoulders.

Spencer became quickly engrossed in the pictures and Penelope used his inattention to her advantage, slowly uncrossing and re-crossing her legs, keeping her eyes on Emily the entire time. She could almost feel the tension rise in Emily as Spencer got closer to the end of the album. "How did you manage to, oh my, um, I'm going to skip over the next few pages," he stammered out, his cheeks a bright red.

"Where did you get those pictures, Penelope?" Emily hissed.

"You missed me exchanging email addresses with them?"

"Since when do you speak Japanese?"

"Look around my office, Emmy. Of course I speak a little Japanese. You pick it up over the years."

Both women turned to look at Reid as he loudly cleared his throat. "These are very nice. Garcia, I'm glad you had a wonderful trip. So, how long have you two been a couple?"

"A few weeks now. It's still a little odd for me, seeing as how my last relationship ended kinda messy."

"I never would have thought Kevin would do something so rash," Emily said quietly, all traces of teasing gone from her face. She reached out and took hold of Penelope's hand, squeezing gently.

"I've not had much luck picking partners. Maybe since you picked me out…"

"Everything will be all right." Emily stood and collected all their papers, putting them in the trash. "I'll be by a little after five to take you with me. The other teams can wait a little for their information from the overnight tech, right?" Penelope nodded and smiled at them, blushing a little when Emily bent to kiss her lightly.

The rest of the day passed so slowly as she tried to focus on her work. She'd finally gotten a hit on her search and had called the team, letting them know who they had found. A little before five, she pulled out her makeup bag and touched up her lipstick. She began to power down her systems and was ready to leave when Emily came knocking.

"Morgan wants to head out to the Rocking Seahorse. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure. Let's blow this popsicle stand, babe." She picked up her purse and followed Emily out. "I'm so glad I drove today. I hold my liquor much better than you do."

"Whatever."

"It's true. You're such a lightweight." They rode the elevator down to the parking garage and got in Esther. Emily gave directions to Penelope, showing her a faster way to get there.

"Remember, we want him to be a little buzzed, not drunk."

"I know, my love, I know. This was my plan in the first place. You need to listen to your own advice, Emmy." Arm in arm, they went inside, Penelope looking out for Morgan. She found him seated in a corner, nursing a beer. Emily took charge and led them over to him. Penelope scooted her chair close to Emily's and set her purse on the floor between them.

"Took you ladies long enough to get her," he said after the waitress had taken their order.

"The best things are always worth the wait," Penelope coquettishly said, smiling at him as she put her arm around Emily's waist. As she watched, Morgan's eyes drifted down to her hand. She splayed her fingers, absently rubbing up and down, brushing up against the underside of Emily's breast. Emily shivered as Morgan took a large swig of beer.

"How about we go back to Penelope's place after this drink?" Emily asked, crossing her arms in front of her. Morgan just nodded, quickly drinking down his beer while they sipped at their drinks. Penelope watched him grow antsier the longer they lingered over their drinks, and she grinned.

Finally, they were finished, and Morgan hurriedly fished out some money, leaving the waitress a generous tip. "I'll follow you home, ladies," he said, an almost desperate note in his voice. Penelope let her eyes slide down his body and could not help but notice the bulge in his pants. Giggling slightly, she took hold of Emily's hand and led her back to Esther.

Once under way, she said softly, "The first rule is look, but don't touch."

"Do you think he'll be able to do that?" Emily asked. "Does he have that much self-control?"

"Do we really want him to? Or do you want to leave him out of our little love game?"

"Honestly? I'd rather it stay look, don't touch."

"Then that's what it will be." She pulled into her parking spot and made her way up to her apartment, Emily trailing behind. Unsurprisingly, Morgan was standing outside her door already, slightly out of breath. She pulled out her keys and opened the door, letting all of them in. Morgan was the last one to enter and he locked the door behind him.

Penelope and Emily turned to face him, their hands entwined. "We have but one rule, Derek, and if you can't follow it, you'll have to leave. You may look your fill, but you may not touch either of us. Do you think you can follow that rule?" He nodded and took a seat in one of Emily's favorite chairs, watching them intently.

Emily turned to face Penelope, kissing her gently. Penelope let her take the lead, following her guidance into the bedroom. As they continued kissing, Penelope heard the chair turn to face them. Suddenly, she was the one who was having second thoughts about this. Yes, she had wanted to get a rise out of Morgan, but was this really the best way to go about it? Then Emily was kissing down her neck, pulling her dress off as she went, and all doubts flew from her mind. The only thing she could focus on was the feel of Emily.

She felt herself being lowered onto the bed, and she wrapped her arms around Emily's neck, pulling her close. Emily seemed full of frenetic energy, driving Penelope to a quick orgasm. When Penelope tried to reciprocate, Emily pushed her back on the bed, teasing her body until she was nearly incoherent.

Penelope heard Emily tell Derek to leave, then felt her collapse on top of her, hot tears splashing down on her face. Penelope reached up and wiped the tears away, only to have Emily bury her face in her hair, clinging to her. "Honey, what's wrong?" she whispered, gently stroking Emily's back.

"I don't ever want to play this sort of game again. I-I love you and I don't want anyone to share in that."

"You love me? Really?"

Emily nodded against Penelope's shoulder. "How could anyone not love you?"

Penelope sighed and held Emily tighter. "I'm sorry. I forced you to do this. I didn't mean to hurt you; I would never want to hurt someone I love."

Emily turned her head and kissed her cheek gently. "Would it bother you if I said that I never want to let you go?"

"No, because I feel the same way."

"Good." Emily wriggled down and laid her head on Penelope's chest, quickly falling asleep. Penelope followed shortly after, a contented smile on her face.


	5. The Craggy Mountains Yield

"Prentiss, Garcia, my office, now!" Both women looked up from their conversation with Morgan to see Hotch staring down at them, a small frown on his face. As one, they stood and climbed the stairs, disappearing into his office. He motioned for them to sit down and they did, looking at each other as they did so.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked, frowning herself now.

"I don't care what you two do in your personal time. If you're happy, that's wonderful. But the walls here have eyes, and sometimes those eyes report back to Section Chief Strauss."

Penelope felt the blood drain from her face. "Are-are we fired?"

"No. Thankfully being related to Ambassador Prentiss can still pull some strings. But you need to cool things down here. Don't sneak off to neck in the ladies room. Try to act like partners without acting like partners, if you can." He paused and saw that Penelope had started to cry, tears silently rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, Garcia."

Emily turned to face Penelope and reached out to gently wipe away her tears. Penelope ducked her head down, trying to avoid the touch. Aaron stood and looked out over the bullpen. This allowed Emily to kneel in front of Penelope and take hold of both her hands. "Penny, it's okay, really it is. We still have our jobs. Please don't cry like that. You're breaking my heart."

Penelope looked into Emily's eyes. "I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"You, my dear, are worth all the trouble in the world." She bent and kissed Penelope's hands tenderly.

Penelope sighed and Aaron chose that moment to turn back to them. "Take the rest of the day off, please. You two need to regroup, and this is not the best place for that." One of his rare smiles flickered across his face and Penelope couldn't help smiling back. "Get out of here, relax, and work out your energy."

Emily helped her lover to stand and they exited the room. Aaron patted Penelope's shoulder as she went past and she leaned into the touch, her spirits somewhat bolstered by her boss's tacit approval. "I'm going to grab my purse and I'll meet you out by Esther." Emily nodded, and Penelope went down the hall to her office She grabbed said purse out from under her desk and then turned back around, bumping into Morgan.

"Did I get you two in trouble?" he asked, his forehead furrowed with worry.

"Oh, no, we were just told to be more discreet here at work." She patted his chest lightly, smiling at him. "But I have to get going. Emily and I were given the rest of the day off. I do not intend to waste a single moment of this." She moved around him and clambered down the stairs.

Emily was waiting for her, sitting in the passenger seat. Penelope handed her the purse and got in, starting up the car and pulling out of the parking garage. "So, where do you want to go?" Emily asked.

"I was thinking your place." Emily nodded and then turned on the radio, pushing her pre-set button. The silence between the was comfortable, and Penelope smiled when at the first red light Emily scooted closer to her, putting her hand on her knee. Penelope slid her right hand off the steering wheel and covered Emily's, squeezing gently. She let go only long enough to turn into Emily's parking lot.

"Do you want to make an early lunch?" Emily asked as she opened her door.

Penelope shook her head and grabbed Emily's hand, leading her upstairs and into the bedroom. Penelope sat down on the edge of the bed and Emily sat next to her. "I'd rather just cuddle for a bit, if you don't mind."

"That will never be something I mind, my love," she replied, gently pushing Penelope onto her side. Emily then faced her on her own side, reaching out to stroke her face. Penelope's eyes closed under the feather light touches and she felt tears well up. "This really shook you up, didn't it?"

She nodded her head and then sighed against Emily's lips as the other woman kissed her gently. "I just don't want to see you hurt, Emmy." She opened her eyes and looked at Emily. "You are the most precious thing in my life. I love you."

She watched Emily smile tenderly. "I love you, too. And there's not anyone or anything in this world that will keep me from you. The only way they could hurt me would be to hurt you, and I won't let them do that."

Penelope could feel the tears running down her face and she reached up to brush them away. Emily caught her hand and brought it to rest against her heart before kissing her once again. Penelope relaxed into the kiss, wrapping her arm around Emily's waist to pull her closer. As Emily deepened the kiss, she began to draw down the zipper on Penelope's dress, stopping only to unhook her bra. She turned onto her back and lifted her hips to allow Emily to pull the dress off.

Emily lay on top of her, still kissing her lips sweetly. Penelope reached up and began to unbutton Emily's shirt, pulling it out of the waistband of her pants. Emily shrugged out of it, never breaking off the kiss. Penelope made short work of her pants, while Emily unhooked her own bra, letting it slip off her body and fall to the floor. Finally, Emily broke the kiss and whispered in Penelope's ear, "Let me show you how much I love you."

As Emily began to caress and kiss her, Penelope began to understand how one could be worshipped by a lover. She closed her eyes, digging her hands into the sheets as Emily made a languorous circuit of her body, moaning with pleasure as she explored every nook and crevice of her body. Never had she felt more loved or beautiful.

Emily slowly brought her to orgasm, building the tension in her body until Penelope thought she would shatter from the overwhelming feel of it all. "Emily!" she cried out as her orgasm swept over her. She clung to her lover until it had passed, receiving delicate kisses on her face.

"Move in with me."

"What?"

"Like Marlowe said, come live with me and be my love, and we will all the pleasure prove."

"Will you make me a bed of roses?"

Emily smiled at her, tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "If that's what you want, then yes. Would you like me to put a thousand fragrant posies in it as well?"

"If you want me to live with you, then yes." She giggled lightly and reached up to kiss Emily on the lips. In response, Emily wrapped her arms around Penelope's waist, drawing her as close as possible to her.

"I'll get on that. Until then, can you accept this home of mine?" Emily looked suddenly serious, as if she were not certain of Penelope's answer.

"Of course I can."

A jubilant smile spread over Emily's face. "Wonderful."

"I know I am. That's why you love me."

Emily shook her head. "Come on, let's go take a shower and then get something to eat." Penelope let her lead them to the bathroom, more than ready to take this next step in her life.


	6. Existing For Only You

"She held on as long as she could, Baby Girl. There was just too much blood lost, you heard JJ say that. Doctors can't be miracle workers all the time." Morgan reached out to touch her shoulder and she pulled away from him. "Honey, I'm sorry."

Penelope looked up at Derek, her eyes aching from all the crying she'd done since she got the news. "Why did she never tell me about Doyle? I would have hunted the bastard down and killed him for her."

"And he might have killed you, too. Remember, Doyle knew everything about us, except your relationship. Emily managed to keep that hidden and to protect you from the world she thought she'd left behind. Don't let your grief give you away until we can bring Doyle to justice. If he were to want to take revenge on Emily's loved ones, you would be the first target. I can't lose you, too." Morgan pulled her into a tight hug.

"Will you take me home?"

"Of course." He took her arm and she clung to him, feeling lost among the people she'd known for so many years. She made eye contact with JJ and couldn't bear to see the pity there. Quickly, she looked away and pressed herself all the tighter to Morgan. He pushed the down button and soon the elevator doors opened. They stepped inside and he rubbed her back gently. "Which home do you want to go to? Mine, or yours?"

"Our apartment. Someone has to take care of our cat, after all." She was silent the entire drive, looking at without seeing the DC skyline. He idled in front of the building and she turned to look at him.

"Do you want me to come up with you?"

"No, I have to do this alone. I'm going to be alone the rest of my life, might as well start getting used to it now."

"Ah, Baby Girl, you sure do know how to break a friend's heart." He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly. "I'm always here for you. I know I've called you my God-given solace, but I'm ready to be that for you. Don't ever stop talking to me, Penelope Garcia. I mean it."

"I won't, Derek. I love you too much to do that." As best she could, she threw herself into his arms, hugging him as tight she could. "I'll call you tomorrow." Penelope kissed his cheek in return and stumbled out of the truck. Taking a deep breath, she went inside the building and rode the elevator up to their floor.

Taking out her keys, she unlocked the door and went to flip the lights on, only to realize they were already on. "Who's there?" a quavery voice called out from upstairs, putting Penelope instantly on the defensive.

"I should ask you what you're doing in our apartment," she said, reaching for the mace Derek had insisted she start carrying. A thin, dark-haired woman stepped out of their bedroom, holding their cat. "Ambassador Prentiss, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize your voice."

"It's all right, Penelope. I just came here to pick out the outfit for, for…" She broke off her words, and the cat jumped down as she tried to stifle the tears that sprang to her eyes. "But how are you coping, my dear?"

"I'm not, really. How do you deal with losing a best friend?"

"And lover?"

Penelope looked at her in shock. "How did you?"

"I've become very adept over the years at reading between the lines with my daughter. What would you have her wear? You probably knew her better than I did at this point in her life."

"She has this beautiful sea foam green dress. I, I want her to be lovely, you know?" Penelope began to cry once more and Emily's mother came down and hugged her tightly.

"Oh honey, I do know." She guided her over to the sofa and they sat, Penelope clinging to Ambassador Prentiss's shirt. "Are you going to stay here?"

"I want to, but I can't afford the rent on my own. This was something we'd never planned on. I get nothing but memories." She sobbed all the harder, feeling empty as she realized the truth of her words.

"You don't have to worry about that, lambie. I'll take care of everything. Just promise me, you'll tell me about her, about how she lived her life with you. The most I know is that you made her so happy."

"She made me happy, too." Penelope sat back against the sofa. "I never realized the violence of existing just for one person. I'm not alone, I have all my friends at the BAU, and my counseling groups, and my online friends. But Emily was my all."

Ambassador Prentiss nodded as she reached out to wipe away Penelope's tears. "I know, dear. Come on, let's go pick out that dress." She stood and helped Penelope up, linking arms with her as they climbed the stairs. "So, what was your favorite movie to watch together?"

"We both have a romantic streak and it came through in liking Love Actually. One of the actresses in it looked like an agent we worked with in New York. Ambassador Prentiss?"

"Please, Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth, did Emily ever want kids? I never got up the courage to ask her. My heart of hearts wanted to have a child with her, but the life we lead always pushed it to the back of my mind. I wish I had just decided to tell her my desires."

"She would have loved to have a child with you."

Penelope smiled a little as she opened the closet and began thumbing through their clothes. A few things were out of place or missing and she frowned when she couldn't find the dress she wanted. "It's not here. Was there anyone else here before you?"

"No, everything was locked up tight. I had to have the building manager let me in, since Emily never gave me a key."

"That's so odd. Maybe JJ came by and took the dress." She turned to look at Elizabeth. "Would you like to stay and watch our movie together? I just want to feel close to her, and you're the closest link I have to my Emily."

"I would love that, my dear."

"Thank you." Penelope went downstairs and turned the television on before taking out the remote. The DVD was still in the player, as they'd planned on watching it soon. She settled on the sofa next to Elizabeth and started the movie. About halfway through, Penelope started sobbing and fell into Elizabeth's soothing arms. She was quickly lulled to sleep by her dulcet voice and the soft stroking motions Elizabeth made through her hair.

When she woke up, a soft blanket covered her and she glanced over to see her glasses on the coffee table. Sitting up, she shoved them on her face and cracked her back. Everything came flooding back as she picked up the note from Elizabeth and read her comforting words.

After she'd programmed the woman's number in her phone, she called Derek. "Good morning."

"I'll show you a good morning, Baby Girl. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm numb, and yet, my heart aches. Does that even make sense? Elizabeth was over here last night. I really like her. She reminds me of all the best in Emily. Do you know if Jayje was over here yesterday?"

"No, I think she was at the State Department before she told us about Emily's funeral. Why?"

"We were looking for something to dress Emily in and what I wanted was missing. Maybe we left it at the dry cleaners. I can't think right now. Her mom's not going to be at the funeral she planned."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she can't get out of this stupid meeting in the Middle East. Just a second, someone's knocking at the door." Penelope stood and went over, looking through the peephole. "It's Rossi. Why don't you come over, too, and bring Reid. I kinda don't want to be alone right now."

"Sure thing, Mama. See you in a few."

"Okay, Sugar." She hung up and opened the door. "Hi, Dave."

"Hey Kitten. I was thinking you could use a friendly face here today. Anderson dropped your car off just as I was parking. I'm so sorry you can't make the arrangements."

David hugged her close and she burst into tears once more. "We knew this could happen if she was," Penelope paused to take a deep breath, "if she was killed in the line of duty. It hurts like hell now that it's become a reality, though."

"Oh, sweetheart," he whispered, kissing her temple. "We're here for you, no matter what. Even Erin understands the grief. When, and if, you need it, she's offering you three weeks paid leave."

"Why?"

"I can only guess it's because of her friendship with Elizabeth. She's hard, Penelope, but she's not cruel."

"Will you thank her for me? I don't think I can face her."

"Yes, I can do that." They fell into an easy conversation that Reid and Morgan soon joined, followed by Hotch with Jack, and then JJ and her family. Her home was full with her family and the ghost of Emily.


	7. Something Has To Give

"Ashley's leaving. JJ's coming back. What else is going to change here, Hotch?"

"I don't know, Penelope. But is this what you want to do? Our team needs you."

"That's sweet, Aaron, but you'll survive a month without me. Strauss knew something had to give and approved my leave already. I'm just going through the motions here. I have to find a way to move on. It's July already. I don't want it to be August and have me still so lost from my moorings." She stared at him until he nodded and smiled slightly. "I'll send you a postcard."

"Keep in closer touch than that, Penelope. Please?" She nodded, tearing up a little at the concern evident in his voice. They stood and she walked around his desk, hugging him tightly. "If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll deny I said it, but you're like a sister to me. Take care of yourself."

"I will, Aaron. And I love you, too." She let go of him and stepped out into the bullpen. No one else was there and she smiled sadly as she stared at Emily's desk. It would always be that to her, no matter who sat there. Quickly, she hurried from the room, not wanting to cry once more.

She found herself on autopilot as she drove to the airport, thinking of where she was going to first. It would be hard to be in Paris without her. They had been so happy there, once. Sighing, she pulled into long term parking and then got her bag out of the trunk and wheeled it behind her to the terminal.

Somewhere over the Atlantic, she began to cry and a kind flight attendant brought her a tissue. "Can I get you anything else?" the young man asked, sitting in the empty seat next to her.

"A Time Turner?"

"Sorry, I never went to Hogwarts. Going to Paris to get over a bad breakup?"

"Sort of." He patted her shoulder lightly and stood up. Going over to the drink cart, he grabbed two small bottles of gin and then came back, handing her one. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, Sugar. I'm off on leave when we land. So, tell me about him."

Penelope opened her bottle, taking a sip of the liquor. "Her. She was an FBI agent who had her past catch up to her. Turns out stakes don't just kill vampires these days."

"That is truly awful, sweetie. My ex, Brian, moved to Arkansas and I thought that was the end of the world. I can't even begin to imagine losing a loved one like that." Penelope smiled at the young man and they fell into an easy conversation for the rest of the flight. Before he left to attend to descent procedures, they exchanged emails and Penelope stowed the slip of paper in her purse.

Penelope hailed a taxi and watched the Paris landscape pass by as she was driven to her hotel. Wordlessly, she took her key from the clerk and made her way over to the elevator. She was exhausted but decided to check her email before she went to sleep. She noticed two new friend requests on Facebook, and she logged in there to see who'd friended her. Smiling, she quickly accepted Nick's request, but found herself staring at Rachel Martin's profile.

Penelope didn't know any Rachel's, and she flipped through her friends, seeing they had JJ in common. Perhaps she's the new girl, the one who's taking Seaver's place, she thought. With a hint of trepidation, she friended Rachel and then updated her status to reflect her current location. She fell back on the bed and was asleep in moments.

In the morning, just a few hours later, really, she woke up still feeling tired. With Facebook still open on her laptop, she updated it with her plans to spend all day at the Louvre. Penelope got dressed and put her laptop in her bag before heading out. It was a lovely day and so she decided to walk the two blocks to the museum.

Once inside, she felt lost and overwhelmed by the beauty of the art that surrounded her. As she made her way down the hall of sixteenth and seventeenth century paintings, Penelope felt eyes watching her intently. Looking around the room, she didn't see anyone overtly staring at her or anyone she knew for that matter. Shrugging, she turned back to the current painting she was looking at and tried to focus on what she was seeing.

Penelope made her way through the other exhibits, trying to find something that spoke to her. Giving up around noon, she went down to the café and ordered something light to eat before resuming her tour. Around nightfall, she left, feeling a little more grounded, more sure of herself. Hailing a cab, she asked, "Could you drop me off by the Eiffel Tower, please?"

The Tower was lit up and she smiled at the beauty of it. "Gorgeous, like you, my dear," a familiar voice said in her ear. Penelope froze for a moment before turning to see who had addressed her. There was no one there and she shivered slightly as she looked into the twilit skyline.

"Now my mind is playing tricks on me," she whispered under her breath as she caught sight of a familiar red color. Amongst the more natural hair colors, it really stood out, and like a moth drawn by the light, she took a step forward. The woman disappeared into the crowd and Penelope felt the bubble of magic surrounding her pop. Her shoulders slumping, she began the trek back to her hotel.

Penelope had just shut the door on her hotel room when she felt chills run down her spine. Shivering, she opened the door once more and looked down the hall. From out the corner of her eye she caught a flash of red. "Wait!" she called out and the woman paused. "Who are you?"

"A shade, a shadow from the past who doesn't belong in the here and now," the too familiar voice said before hurrying down the stairs. Penelope leaned against the doorjamb, staring at the space the woman had just occupied. She sounded like Emily, but Emily was dead. Did she really want her back so badly that she was inventing mysterious women? Shaking her head, she closed the door once more and stripped, falling into bed naked, hoping sleep would clear her troubled mind.

Throughout the rest of her weeks in Europe, she saw the woman a dozen more times. Though initially wary, Penelope became accustomed to the idea of an unknown guardian, of someone to watch over her as she fought to move on from the stagnancy that had been her life lately.

Now, she was in the last days of her trip and about to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. As she rode the tourist filled bus to the site, her phone rang. "Yeah, JJ?"

"I wanted to let you know this, before you see it on the news. Doyle was taken out by an ex-Special Forces member."

"Taken out?"

"Yes. He will no longer be a threat to us. We're planning a celebration of sorts when you get home."

"That's wonderful news, Jayje. I'll see you in a few days." Penelope hung up the phone and put it back in her bag. While it was wonderful news, it had come far too late for her liking. JJ called back, but Penelope declined the call, sending her friend to voicemail. She sighed as she stepped off the bus, turning in her receipt at the ticket counter for a hard ticket.

She got in her group and soon they were off. Penelope found she couldn't concentrate during the short thirty-five minute tour, her thoughts turning towards home. As she exited into the gift shop, she bumped into someone. "Sorry about that," she said, still staring at the ground.

"Sometimes you need to look up, Penelope."

Penelope jerked her head up, looking into a very familiar pair of warm brown eyes. "You're dead. JJ said you never made it off the table. We buried you."

"But you never found my favorite dress. Jayje told me you were quite heartbroken over that," She gestured to said dress, smiling at Penelope. "I never thought the day would be here when I got to wear this for you again."

Penelope nodded dumbly, still staring at Emily. Slowly, she reached out and poked Emily's shoulder. "How? Why?"

"Doyle was still out there. I couldn't let him hurt you to get at me."

Penelope felt her eyes begin to tear up as the truth standing in front of her sunk into her bones. "You've been following me all over Europe?"

"No. Rachel Martin has. Today is my first day returning to life as Emily Prentiss. As your lover?" Once more, Penelope nodded and took Emily's outstretched hand. "Shall we go back to your hotel? I have four months of grief and loss to make up to you. Sweetheart?"

"This is just a lot to take in all at once. Do the others know yet?"

"JJ was going to tell them today, as well. If there had been some other way, a way to bring you with me, I would have done so, I swear. This has been torture for me."

"Me, too." They got back on the bus and sat in the back. Penelope snuggled into Emily, suddenly unable to let go of her lover. "I have three days left before I fly home."

"I know. I'm on the flight with you. We're going home together, and I do not want to let you out of my sight for years to come. Is that selfish of me?"

"No. I want the same thing. Emily, are there any more secrets I should know about?"

"I promise to you there is no other secret in my life. I am an open book to you, my love." Penelope smiled at her and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Penelope just wanted to soak in everything about Emily. Reaching up, she twirled a piece of the bright red hair around her finger. "That was my constant reminder of you."

"I want it back to black."

"Anything for you, Penelope." They were let off near her hotel and Penelope led Emily to it. While she was locking the door to their room, her phone rang. "You'd better take this call. It's Chief Strauss."

"I wonder what she wants?" Penelope mused as she took the phone from Emily's hand. "Hello?"

"Ms. Garcia, Agent Jareau just informed me of the fortuitous news you received today. Am I correct in believing that things will be returning back to their routine?"

"Yes, Ma'am, most likely they will. That is, if there's a position for Emily in the BAU."

"And between the two of you?"

"Things remain unchanged."

She heard Strauss sigh slightly. "Somehow I knew that would be your answer. In the future, something will have to give. But for the here and now, be discreet. It's all of our heads on the block."

"Ma'am?"

"I don't need to repeat myself, Penelope. Everyone needs compassion and mercy. Just because I have to deal with all the bureaucratic nonsense and enforce the rules doesn't mean I don't have a heart, too. Enjoy your last three days in Germany. You and Emily are going to hit the ground running when you come back."

Penelope looked at her lover as she listened to the silence of dead air on the phone. "We have her tacit permission to continue our relationship when we get home." She turned the phone on vibrate and put it on the dresser, opening her arms to Emily.

She stepped forward, kissing Penelope softly. "And there are no strings attached?"

"No. She sounded really sincere, Em." Penelope kissed her back and made short work of Emily's dress before pulling her onto the bed. "I want to relearn every curve and line of your body, my love."

"Only after I've relearned yours, Penny." Emily silenced Penelope's protestations with a hungry kiss, her nimble fingers teasing their way down her body. "Don't worry, we have three days to get this right." Penelope giggled and let Emily flip her onto her back, a wave of contentment washing over her. Her ship had come back to harbor and she was secure in her lover's arms once more.


End file.
